Some data and observations about an interesting dredge of manganese nodules taken in the "Western Atlantic Abyssal-Hills province"

Columbia University in the City of New York

LAMONT GEOLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
PALISADES. NEW YORK

SOME DATA AND OBSERVATIONS ABOUT AN INTERESTING DREDGE
OF MANGANESE NODULES TAKEN IN THE ,rWESTERN ATLANTIC ABYSSAL- HI LIS PROVINCE”

Prepared by: Mark Salkind

Technical Report No. CU-7-63 to the Atomic Energy Commission

Contract AT (30-1)2663

December, 1963

LAMONT GEOLOGICAL OBSERVATORY
(Columbia University)
Palisades , New York

SOME DATA AND OBSERVATIONS ABOUT AN INTEREST BIG DREDGE
OF MANGANESE NODULES TAKEN IN THE "WESTERN ATLANTIC ABYSSAL-HILLS PROVINCE"

Prepared Vys Mark Salkind

Technical Report No. CU-7-63 to the Atomic Energy Commission

Contract AT (30-1)2663

December, 1963

This publication is for technical information only and does
not represent recommendations or conclusions of the sponsoring
agencies. Reproduction of this document in whole or in part
is permitted for any purpose of the U. S. Government.

In citing this manuscript in a bibliography, the reference
should state that it is unpublished.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT - This work was supported by the Atomic Energy
Commission of the U. S. Government under Contract AT (30-1)2663.

. f

i

Laraont Geological Observatory

Some Data On and Observations About an Interesting Dredge of
Manganese Nodules Taken in the '’Western Atlantic Abyssal-Hills
Province"

(Unpublished Technical Note)

Mark Salkind

INTRODUCTION

Several photographs, a core, and a bottom dredge were taken in the
'Western Atlantic Abyssal-Hills Province" (Heezen,B.C. et.al. 1959) South¬
east of Bermuda by the Research Vessel "Robert D. Conrad", of Lamont
Geological Observatory of Columbia University,

The area itself is of suspected volcanic origin. Not a well known
region, it is characterized by discrete peaks of great topographic relief
(as much as)lOOO meters) in depths to 5700 meters. (Heezen,B.C. et.al. 1959)
Photographs taken April 1 (Fig. 1) in U575 meters at 32 26 N x
62 59 W show a bottom relatively clear of any debris.

Additional photographs taken in the same (Fig. 2) geologic province
in i±700 meters on a peak top (Severdrup, Johnson, Fleming, 1955) at
26 35 N x 56 29 ¥ showed a bottom thickly strewn with specimens having
the appearance of volcanic debris and showing great variation in size.

A core of 5U9 centimeters length taken April 8, on the same peak
had, to quote the shipboard description, "Manganese Nodules in soft red
clay to 31^ centimeters. Then an abrupt change to Foram Ooze/ The
bottom of the core contained volcanic debris mixed with Forams and one
hard chunk of volcanic rock about 2 x 1 x | inches."

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OBSERVATIONS

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Five hundred pounds of the bottom debris was obtained by dredge on
April 11, in 3935 meters at Si 15'* N x 56 09 W (well within the "Western
Atlantic Abyssal-Hills Province") on a peak top. (Fig. 3) This material was
found to be chunks of clay covered evenly with a Manganese Oxide layer. The
larger specimens (30 to 50 centimeters in diameter, 15 to 20 kilograms) had a
flattened or tablet-like shape and a coating two to three centimeters in
thickness. Smaller specimens tended to be more rounded having coatings one
to two centimeters in thickness. (Fig. 1*)

It was noted that the Manganese Oxide layer coated even the most

strongly flattened tablets in a regular manner in spite of the fact that one
side was exposed to sea water while the other lay in the sediment. (Fig.

RESULTS OF ANALYSIS

Separate analysis were made of the outer layer and inner clay body of
a specimen of typical size and appearance.

The results obtained were as follows and are presented separately for
Outer Shell and Inner Clay Body;

The room dryed samples were completely dryed to constant weight at
100 centigrade. The loss by weight of Interstitial water in the Outer Shell
was 1^.10 percent. The loss by weight for the Inner Clay Body was 9.7 percent.

Including the above percents ; the Loss-on- Ignition for the Outer Shell
was 31*18 percent and for the Inner Clay Body 23.78 percent.

The difference between the above of 16.08 percent in the Outer Shell
and llul percent in the Inner Clay Body is represented by chemically

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FIGURE 4

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FIGURE 5

combined water, volatile carbonates, sulfates, and evaporated salts of sea

water, primarily sodium and potassium which are readily oxidized and reported

as Na 0 or K 0*

'2 2

Table I is the result of an Emission Spectrographic Analysis of the
specimen* Its purpose, to identify the elements present in order that a
complete and accurate Quantitative Analysis would be possible* The elements
are arranged inorder of considered importance*

Table II presents the result of the Quantitative Analysis of the material
in a dry state*

CONCLUSIONS

Clearly, from Table II, the outer shell of this material is a Ferro-
Man&anese-Alumino-Silicate system containing large amounts of Titania
compared to the Inner Clay Body*

Equally obvious from Table II is the rather surprising fact that there
is less percent-by-weight content of Al^ and Si02 and considerably more

percent-by-weight of Ti02 (Titania), Fe20^ and ifa02 than was contained in the
inner clay body.

Table III (Goldberg, 1961) is a good standard to which we may compare this
specimen^ components.

A comparison of Tables III and IV demonstrates that the outer shell of
this specimen is somewhat lower in manganese yet higher in iron and aluminum
than the average nodule® In general the Outer Shell conforms to the
composition of the manganese nodule type and may be considered as such.

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TABIE I

Emission Spectrographic Analsis of the Dryed and Ignited Material

(Percent by Weight)

Element Outer Shell Inner Clay Body

Manganese

High

High

Iron

High

High

Aluminum

Medium-High

Medium-High

Silicon

High

High

Calcium

Medium

Medium

Magnesium

Medium

Medium

Sodium

Medium

Medium

Titanium

Medium

0.7

Boron

0.03

0.03

Barium

0.1

0.3

Cobalt

0.?

0.15

Cromium

0.005

0.005

Copper

0.10

0.03

Molybedenum

0.05

0.02

Nickel

0.6

0.2

Lead

0.01

0.03

Strontium

0.07

0.07

Vanadium

0.07

0.03

Zinc

o.o5

0.05

Zirconium

0.07

0.03

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TABLE II

Quantitative Analysis of the Hryed Material (Percent by Weight)

Component Outer Shell Inner Clay Body

MnOg

21.68

10.76

Feg°3

28.38

17.3 b

AI2O3

8.98

13.91

Si02

11.68

31.22

CaO

3*29

2.51*

MgO

h. 99

U.33

Na2 0

U.18

3.70

k2o

0.92

1.82

Ti<>2

l.hS

0.72

B203

0.78

0.81

BaO

0.09

0.28

CoO

0.$2

0.16

Cr203

0.006

0.006

CuO

0.11

0.03

M0O3

0.06

0.03

NiO

0.62

0.21

FbO

0.01

0.03

SrO

0.06

0.07

V2%

0.10

0.0U

ZnO

0.0$

0.0$

ZrC^

0.07

0.03

Component

Table Il(Cont.)
Outer Shell

Inner Clay Body

ci*‘

3.06

2.72

CO

0®U8

0.36

0.99

0.75

Chemically

Combined H^O

12.27

11.1*8

PJ3 .

0.96

0.73

2 5

:

TABLE III

Average Composition of Manganese Nodules from the Pacific Ocean

(Goldberg, 1961)

Element

Percent by Weight

Manganese

19

Iron

lit

Aluminum

0.7

Titanium

0.8

Cobalt

0.3

Copper

0.5

Nickel

0.1*

Lead

0.1

Phosphorous

o.5

Zinc

0.0l|

Zirconium

0.006

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TABLE IV

Comparison Composition of Investigated Material
(Percent by Weight)

Element Outer Shell Inner Clay Body

Manganese

13.7

6.8

Iron

20.8

12.7

Aluminum

U.8

7.1*

Silicon

5.8

Hi. 5

Titanium

0.9

.b

Cobalt

0.1*

.1

Copper

0.1

.02

Nickel

o.5

.2

Lead

0,01

.03

Phosphorous

o.U

.3

Zinc

o.ol*

.Oil

Zirconium

0.05

.02

.

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However, the Inner Clay Body does not conform to a manganese
nodule composition. It contains too much aluminum* In addition,
the amounts of manganese and titanium present are too low.

This proportioning of the above together with the chemically
combined water present in the Inner Clay Body is reminiscent of a
true clay structure.

A possible mechanism of formation of the "manganese oxide"
shell on this sample that suggests itself is weathering of clay
breccia on their surfaces resulting in a leaching of silica and
alumina thereby enriching the surface in iron, manganese and the
other metals present and typical of manganese nodules.

The typical metals manganese, iron, silicon and aluminum may
possibly behave in the following manner during formation of the
"manganese oxide" shell*

Manganese dioxide is extremely insoluble in a slightly basic
solution such as sea water. Iron oxide too exhibits low solubility
in such conditions.

Silica (SiO^) however is comparitively soluble in such
conditions.

Alumina (A^O^) is only slightly soluble but its rate of
solution may be increased by contact with carbon dioxide dissolved
in water. In any case, it is expected that alumina would dissolve
much more slowly than silica.

This is found to be the apparent case when comparing amounts

> •

from the Inner Clay Body and the Outer Shell.

Possibly it is these properties that may result in a clayey

material such as this sample weathering into a manganese-iron high,
silica-alumina low, end product such as a manganese nodule.

TableV is an attempt to discover any obvious correllation between
the abundance of elements in sea water and in the ferro-manganese
coated sample.

Such a correlation does not seem obvious.

In order to prove the pctual mechanism of change. X-ray
diffraction, rational and further chemical analyses are needed.

These procedures are presently underway.

* * t • f

, 1

TABLE V

Relative Concentration of Elements in Sea Later and Dredge
Specimens (Sea Later Information! Goldberg, 1961)

Element

Sea Water

Outer Shell

Inner Clay Body

Manganese

.2

2lu8

13.7

Iron

1

37.U

25.6

Aluminum

1

8.6

12.6

Silican

300

9.8

29.0

Calcium

1*0000

U. 2

3.7

Magnesium

135000

5. it

5.2

Sodium

1,0^0,000

5.6

5.6

Titanium

.1

1.6

0.89

Cobalt

•05

0.72

0,2k

Copper

.3

o.lit

O.Oit

Nickel

.2

0.86

0.32

Lead

• 003

0.018

0.006

Phosphorous

7

0.79

0.65

Zinc

1

0.072

0.08

Zirconium

—

0.086

O.Oit

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Goldberg, Edward D., 1961, Chemistry In The Oceans, p.583-598, in

Sears (ed. ) Oceanography, 1961.

Grim, Ralph E., Clay Mineralogy,McGraw-Hill Book Co. Inc. 1953.

Heezen, B.C., et. al., 195)9, The Floors of the Oceans,!. The North

Atlantic: Geological Society of America, pp.62-6ij.

P.39 p.78.

Skornyakova, N. , I960. i.Ianganese conretions in sediments of the north¬
east part of the Pacific Ocean. Doklady, Akad.
Nauk. SSSR, 130. no. 3, pp. 653-656.

Sverdrup, H., Johnson, M., Fleming, R. , The Oceans : Prentise-Hall Inc.

P.952, pp. 102 7 -103 3.

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